WATERBURY – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) announced two federal grants for the Fifth District from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) totaling $11,645,250. The funding will help alleviate the flooding of Harbor Brook in the City of Meriden.
"I am pleased the City of Meriden will receive over $11 million in FEMA funding for the Harbor Brook Flood Resilience project. The grant will cover 75% of the cost of the project and fund ongoing efforts to reduce flooding along Harbor Brook. An additional $480,000 was also awarded to support staff assigned to the project, " said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05). "Meriden is no stranger to flooding and residents know the devastating impacts flooding has on communities. Efforts like this by the Biden Administration are felt directly by communities most affected."
“This federal funding will help address the longtime issue of flooding that has impacted Meriden for over a century. I applaud FEMA for supporting this critical mitigation project along Harbor Brook – helping to revitalize Meriden’s downtown and making the city more resilient to flooding. I have long advocated for flood mitigation funds for Meriden and will continue to support their efforts to make the city safer for residents,” said Senator Blumenthal (D-CT).
“This project to mitigate flooding along Harbor Brook has been in the works for a very long time, and I’m glad this $11.6 million in federal funding will help get it across the finish line. It’s going to make a major difference for the homes and local businesses that are constantly at risk of flood damage in downtown Meriden. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds FEMA, I’ll continue pushing to support programs that help towns in Connecticut become more resilient,” said Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT).
The funding from FEMA will support $11,165,250 million of the City’s $14.7 million total project cost. The project includes channel realignment and profile adjustment, removing two undersized bridges that constrict water flow, floodproofing buildings along the river, creating riparian floodplain and wildlife habitat, modifying impacted utilities, and installing a waterfront trail system. An additional $480,000 grant from FEMA will fund costs for the administration and management of this project.
Improvements will be made along an 1,800 foot stretch of Harbor Brook spanning from Cooper Street in downtown Meriden to the Amtrak railroad near Colony Street.
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